CHAPTER 4: BETWEEN FEVERS

Once in Colorado Springs the two women quickly got back into the swing of things at the SGC. Sam was always careful to make sure people never saw her in her cat form and Janet saw no reason tell General Hammond about the Sanctuary or the existence of abnormals. Although she did occasionally wonder if there were other abnormals working at the SGC, she refrained from looking too closely in the interests of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

She continued to monitor Sam's hormone levels carefully but then Sam was taken as host by a Tok'ra. Jolinar died to save Sam's life but she left behind a legacy of naquadah in Sam's blood and an unusual protein marker in her system and Janet had to learn Sam's altered body-chemistry from anew. Janet knew that it would not be long before Sam's hormone levels started to rise and she went into oestrus and she was concerned about how to monitor Sam when Sam's pre-Jolinar hormone levels were no longer of use as a comparison. However, Janet remembered Helen telling her about the introduction of abnormal properties into her own blood and so she called Helen and gave her the cover story the SGC had developed for Sam, explaining that Sam had accidentally been introduced to an experimental chemical at work which had changed her body-chemistry. Reassuring Helen that Sam was fine and suffering no adverse effects, Janet solicited Helen's advice in monitoring Sam under these new conditions.

With Helen's help, Janet was able to recognise some weeks later that Sam was in pre-oestrus and, telling General Hammond that Sam was exhausted from over-working herself, she managed to ensure that Sam had down-time when she needed it. Janet was unable to accompany Sam to the Sanctuary as her recently adopted daughter, Cassandra, was in school but Helen assured Janet that Sam had coped much better emotionally this time. The following year, Janet was again able to recognise the burgeoning signs of Sam going into heat and made sure that Sam took some of the leave she had accrued so that she could go back to the Sanctuary.

Some months later, SG-1 was having a team night. It was Sam's turn to host and she planned a barbecue, so that they could take advantage of the long summer evening. As an honorary member of SG-1 and Sam's best friend, Janet was also invited. Her car was in the shop, so Cassie's doting Uncle Jack swung by to give the two Fraiser women a ride. They had decided to go early to help Sam set up but when they arrived, Sam was not there.

"Sam probably had to run out to the store," suggested Janet. "We could go round the back and wait in the yard until she gets back." The three friends made their way to the back garden and sat down on the lawn chairs there.

"Look!" cried Cassie. "I didn't know Sam had a cat."

"She used to," said Jack. "But she gave it away to a friend and I don't think she ever replaced it."

"Then whose is that?" Cassie asked, pointing at a very large pale, blonde tabby cat with unusual blue eyes, sunning itself on the grass. She went over and started petting the cat, who began purring loudly.

"That's one honking big cat!" commented Jack. The cat snarled at him and he laughed. "Have I offended you, kitty?" he asked, amused. "C'mere," he said, coaxing it over. The cat got up and wound itself round Jack's legs, purring again as she rubbed against him. Looking flattered at the cat's obvious liking for him, Jack crouched down to stroke her.

Janet looked suspiciously at the cat. "I think I'll see if the kitchen door is open. Perhaps Sam's inside and didn't hear the doorbell. Her car was outside."

Jack glanced up, "What's the matter, Doc? Don't you like cats? I'm a dog person myself but this cat's kind of cute."

Not answering, Janet headed for the kitchen door and, as she suspected, it was unlocked. She opened it and the cat ran inside, darting into Sam's bedroom. Janet waited in the kitchen and a minute later Sam appeared from her bedroom.

"Hey guys, when did you get here? I guess I didn't hear the door," she said cheerily, winking at Janet, who glared back at Sam in exasperation. "What's that, Cassie? The cat?"

Amused despite herself, Janet waited to hear how Sam would answer Cassie's excited questions about the cat.

"Oh, the cat doesn't live here," said Sam airily. "She just comes to visit occasionally. She went out my bedroom window a few moments ago."

Later, Janet cornered Sam. "Shouldn't you be more careful? That cat..." she said.

"Careful about what? It was only a cat who came to visit," Sam replied very firmly.